Extending cabinet

ABSTRACT

An extending wall mounted cabinet includes an upper cabinet mounted into a wall and a lower cabinet moveable between an upper retracted position and a lower extended position. The extending wall mounted cabinet also includes a drive mechanism including an actuator for lowering and raising lower cabinet between an upper retracted position and a lower extended position. Preferably the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the volume of the nested cabinets is no larger than the upper cabinet.

The present application claims priority from previously filed U.S. provisional application 61/752,504 filed on Jan. 15, 2013 under the title EXTENDING CABINET by Jerry Sorbara and Darren Slater.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present concept relates generally to wall mounted cabinets and cupboards and more particularly relates to wall mounted cupboards and cabinets which can extend from a upper retracted position to a lower extended position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wall mounted cabinets and cupboards generally are fixed in nature and their height is determined by the installation of the cupboards or the cabinets. For disabled persons who are bound to wheelchairs for example in many instances cabinets and cupboards mounted at normal wall heights are inaccessible by disabled persons. In some instances entire rooms are designed for accessibility by disabled persons and or wheelchair bound persons in order that they are able to easily access cupboards and cabinets at a much lower than normal height.

It would be desirable to be able to retrofit existing wall mounted cabinets and/or cupboards such that a disabled and/or wheelchair bound person would be able to access these wall mounted cupboards and/or cabinets without having to completely redesign and/or reinstall the cupboards and/or cabinets.

The present concept includes an extending cabinet which can be lowered to a height which is accessible to a wheelchair bound person and can be raised and/or retracted to an upper retracted position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present concept is an extending wall mounted cabinet which includes:

-   -   a) an upper stationary cabinet mounted onto a wall;     -   b) a lower cabinet connected to the upper cabinet and moveable         between an upper retracted position and a lower extended         position;     -   c) a drive mechanism which includes an actuator for lowering and         raising lower cabinet between an upper retracted position and a         lower extended position.

Preferably it further a set of telescoping guide rails for supporting and guiding the lower cupboard from the upper retracted position to the lower extended position.

Preferably wherein the guide rails are attached to an inner side of outer side walls of the upper cabinet and to an outer side of inner side walls of the lower cabinet thereby providing horizontal stability to the lower cabinet when in the lower extended position.

Preferably wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the volume of the nested cabinets is no larger than the upper cabinet.

Preferably wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the bottom surface of the lower cabinet is parallel with the outer sidewall bottom end such that the bottom is flush in the upper retracted position.

Preferably wherein in the upper retracted position the inner side wall of the lower cabinet is adjacent to the outer side wall of the upper cabinet such that the appear as one cabinet with a double sidewall.

Preferably wherein the lower cabinet includes a bottom shelf and an upper shelf splitting the cabinet into an upper cupboard and a lower cupboard such that in the upper retracted position the drive components are hidden behind the upper cupboard.

Preferably wherein the depth of the upper cupboard is less than the depth of the lower cupboard, thereby providing for space for the drive components behind the upper shelf in the upper retracted position.

Preferably wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor drive operably connected to an actuator for urging the lower cabinet between the upper retracted position and the lower extended position.

The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 10 wherein one end of the actuator is attached to the bottom shelf and the other end is attached to the motor drive.

The present concept is also a method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet into an existing upper cabinet, the method includes;

-   -   a) removing a bottom wall and doors of the upper cabinet;     -   b) installing a lower cabinet which is dimensioned to nest         within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such         that the volume of the nested cabinets is no larger than the         upper cabinet;     -   c) installing a drive mechanism which includes an actuator for         lowering and raising lower cabinet between an upper retracted         position and a lower extended position such that the drive         mechanism is hidden from view in the upper retracted position.

Preferably wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the bottom surface of the lower cabinet is parallel with the outer sidewall bottom end such that the bottom is flush in the upper retracted position.

The method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 12 wherein in the upper retracted position the inner side wall of the lower cabinet is adjacent to the outer side wall of the upper cabinet such that the appear as one cabinet with a double sidewall.

Preferably wherein the lower cabinet includes a bottom shelf and an upper shelf splitting the cabinet into an upper cupboard and a lower cupboard such that in the upper retracted position the drive components are hidden behind the upper cupboard.

Preferably wherein the depth of the upper cupboard is less than the depth of the lower cupboard, thereby providing for space for the drive components behind the upper shelf in the upper retracted position

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present concept will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an extending cabinet shown in a lower extended position.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front elevational view of the extending cabinet shown in the lower extended position.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front perspective view of the extending cabinet shown in the lower extended position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front perspective view of the extending cabinet shown in an upper retracted position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front elevational view of the extending cabinet shown in a lower extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the attached Figures the present concept namely extending cabinets shown generally as 100 includes the following major components namely an upper cabinet 102, a lower cabinet 104 and a drive mechanism 106.

Extending cabinet 100 is shown in a lower extended position 110 and is moveable between a lower extended position 110 shown in FIG. 3 and an upper retracted position 112 shown in FIG. 4.

Upper cabinet 102 can be an existing cabinet for example which is modified to house lower cabinet 104 and a drive mechanism 106. Upper cabinet 102 may also be a new installation cabinet.

Upper cabinet 102 includes the following drive mechanism 106 components namely a motor drive 120, a drive control 122 an actuator housing 124 housing an actuator not shown in the drawings and connected at one end to motor drive 120 and at the other end in behind access cover 126, to lower cabinet 104.

Drive mechanism 106 also will include a guide rail 128 which includes an upper rail 130 and a lower rail 132.

Upper cabinet 102 defines an upper compartment 134 which is designed to house within it lower cabinet 104 in a nested position 140 as shown in FIG. 4.

Upper cabinet 102 has an upper depth Du 142 as shown in FIG. 3 and lower cabinet 104 has a lower depth Di 144 as shown in FIG. 3.

Drive control 122 may be a wireless drive control or maybe a wire drive control wherein a user may be able to push a button or actuate a switch in order to activate motor drive 120 to either retract lower cabinet 104 into nested position 140 in the upper retracted position 112 or to be able to extend lower cabinet 104 from the upper retracted position 112 to a lower extended position 110 as shown in FIG. 3.

Lower cabinet 104 also includes an actuator relief 151 in order to accommodate the actuator not shown in the drawings

The actuator extends between the motor drive 120 and the access cover 126 and can be for example a ball screw device, it can be a chain drive, it can also be a belt drive or any other type of drive mechanism which is capable of extending and retracting lower cabinet 104 between the lower extended position 110 and the upper retracted position 112.

Lower cabinet 104 includes an upper cupboard 150 and a lower cupboard 152 however other variations are also possible.

The size of upper cupboard 150 and lower cupboard 152 may be varied in order to accommodate the drive mechanism 106 within upper cabinet 102.

In Use

Persons with disability or wheelchair bound persons may be able to retrofit existing cabinets such as upper cabinet 102 with drive mechanism 106 as described above.

Upper cabinet 102 in an existing installation may have a door and a bottom which needs to be removed in order to install lower cabinet 104.

A drive mechanism 106 as described is installed into upper cabinet 102 in such a manner that a slightly smaller cabinet is able to be placed in a nested position 140 within upper cabinet 102 including all of the drive mechanism 106 components.

From an upper retracted position 112 lower cabinet 104 could be extended to the lower extended position 110 by pressing a button and/or flipping a switch thereby activating drive control 122 which would send the signal to motor drive 120 thereby moving actuator not shown in behind actuator housing 124 thereby lowering lower cabinet 104 along guide rails 128 as shown in FIG. 3.

Guide rails 128 are telescoping in nature and normally would include an upper rail 130 and a lower rail 132 however different variations as shown are possible.

In this manner lower cabinet 104 can be lowered to a lower vertical height thereby making it accessible to persons unable to reach upper cabinets in a normally installed height on a wall.

Referring now to FIG. 5 which is a schematic front elevational view of the extending cabinet shown in a lower extended position in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. In this case FIG. 5 shows extending cabinet 200 which is identical in all aspects to extended cabinet 100 except for the fact that actuator 153 is fastened to bottom shelf 202 using actuator fasteners 204.

Referring to FIG. 5 the major components of extending cabinet 200 are upper cabinet 102 lower cabinet 104 which nests within upper cabinet 102 when in an upper retracted position 112 in similar fashion as shown in FIG. 4.

Upper cabinet 102 also includes an inner side 230, an outer side wall 210, a top wall 208, a drive control 122, a motor drive 120 and actuator housing 124.

Drive components 240 include the motor drive 120 and the drive control 122 and the actuator 153. One end of actuator 153 is attached to the motor drive 120 and the other end is attached to bottom shelf 202 with actuator fasteners 204. Lower cabinet 104 is connected to upper cabinet 102 using guide rails 128 which telescopically and slideably retract when the lower cabinet 104 is moved from the lower extended position 110 as shown in FIG. 5 to the upper retracted position 112 as shown in FIG. 4.

Lower cabinet 104 includes an upper cabinet 150, an upper shelf 216, a bottom shelf 202 having a bottom surface 206 and actuator fasteners 204. Lower cabinet 104 further includes an outer side 232, an inner side wall 212, an actuator release 151.

In the upper retracted position 112 as shown in FIG. 4 the outer side wall bottom end 208 of upper cabinet 102 is parallel to the bottom surface 206 of bottom shelf 202 of lower cabinet 104. In all other aspects extending cabinet 200 is equivalent to extended cabinet 100.

The reader will note that the depth 242 of lower cupboard 152 may be somewhat deeper than the depth 242 of upper cupboard 150 due to the fact that in the upper retracted position 112 some of the drive components 240 namely motor drive 120 and drive control 122 and a portion of actuator 153 are hidden and mounted in behind upper cupboard 150 taking up some of the space between upper cupboard 150 and the back wall 273 of upper cabinet 102.

It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim. 

I claim:
 1. An extending wall mounted cabinet comprises: a) an upper stationary cabinet mounted onto a wall; b) a lower cabinet connected to the upper cabinet and moveable between an upper retracted position and a lower extended position; c) a drive mechanism which includes an actuator for lowering and raising lower cabinet between an upper retracted position and a lower extended position.
 2. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 1 further includes a set of telescoping guide rails for supporting and guiding the lower cupboard from the upper retracted position to the lower extended position.
 3. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 2 wherein the guide rails are attached to an inner side of outer side walls of the upper cabinet and to an outer side of inner side walls of the lower cabinet thereby providing horizontal stability to the lower cabinet when in the lower extended position.
 4. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the volume of the nested cabinets is no larger than the upper cabinet.
 5. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the bottom surface of the lower cabinet is parallel with the outer sidewall bottom end such that the bottom is flush in the upper retracted position.
 6. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 5 wherein in the upper retracted position the inner side wall of the lower cabinet is adjacent to the outer side wall of the upper cabinet such that the appear as one cabinet with a double sidewall.
 7. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 6 wherein the lower cabinet includes a bottom shelf and an upper shelf splitting the cabinet into an upper cupboard and a lower cupboard such that in the upper retracted position the drive components are hidden behind the upper cupboard.
 8. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 7 wherein the depth of the upper cupboard is less than the depth of the lower cupboard, thereby providing for space for the drive components behind the upper shelf in the upper retracted position.
 9. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor drive operably connected to an actuator for urging the lower cabinet between the upper retracted position and the lower extended position.
 10. The extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 10 wherein one end of the actuator is attached to the bottom shelf and the other end is attached to the motor drive.
 11. An method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet into an existing upper cabinet, the method includes; a) removing a bottom wall and doors of the upper cabinet; b) installing a lower cabinet which is dimensioned to nest within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the volume of the nested cabinets is no larger than the upper cabinet; c) installing a drive mechanism which includes an actuator for lowering and raising lower cabinet between an upper retracted position and a lower extended position such that the drive mechanism is hidden from view in the upper retracted position.
 12. The method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 11 wherein the lower cabinet nests within the upper cabinet in the upper retracted position such that the bottom surface of the lower cabinet is parallel with the outer sidewall bottom end such that the bottom is flush in the upper retracted position.
 13. The method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 12 wherein in the upper retracted position the inner side wall of the lower cabinet is adjacent to the outer side wall of the upper cabinet such that the appear as one cabinet with a double sidewall.
 14. The method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 13 wherein the lower cabinet includes a bottom shelf and an upper shelf splitting the cabinet into an upper cupboard and a lower cupboard such that in the upper retracted position the drive components are hidden behind the upper cupboard.
 15. The method for installing an extending wall mounted cabinet claimed in claim 14 wherein the depth of the upper cupboard is less than the depth of the lower cupboard, thereby providing for space for the drive components behind the upper shelf in the upper retracted position. 